--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the Egyptians were the first to discover…" description: "\"the Egyptians were the first to discover the solar year, and to portion out its course into twelve parts both the space of time and the seasons which t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/herodotus-2844_adopted_the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover_2178626.jpg" --- # the Egyptians were the first to discover the solar year… ![“the Egyptians were the first to discover the solar year, and to portion out its course into twelve parts both the space of time and the seasons which they delimit. It was observation of the course of the stars which led them to adopt this divisionIt is also the Egyptians who first bought into use…” quote by Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/herodotus-2844_adopted_the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover_2178626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/herodotus-2844_adopted_the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover_2178626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/herodotus-2844_adopted_the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover_2178626.jpg) > “the Egyptians were the first to discover the solar year, and to portion out its course into twelve parts both the space of time and the seasons which they delimit. It was observation of the course of the stars which led them to adopt this divisionIt is also the Egyptians who first bought into use the names of the twelve gods, which the Greeks adopted from them” [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Egyptians first measured the year, dividing it into twelve parts linked to stars and seasons, and named months after their twelve gods, a system later adopted by Greeks. **In simple terms:** Ancients created a 12‑part calendar using stars and deities. Key Takeaway Recognize how ancient observations shape modern timekeeping. Themes history astronomy culture timekeeping Mood reflective inquisitive Type historical educational When to use this quote - archaeology - education - museum c - historical research Key Concepts Calendrical systems mythology scientific observation Questions to Reflect On - How did star observations influence ancient societies? - What modern systems still reflect these ancient divisions? A Different Perspective Modern calendars differ in structure and cultural references. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Egyptians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egyptians/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Seasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seasons/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The incomparable greatness of the religions of the East lies in their having been second to none in vibrating with the passion for unity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/the-incomparable-greatness-of-the-religions-of-the-east-lies-in-their/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [Many who have learned from Hesiod the countless names of gods and monsters never understand that night and day are one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/many-who-have-learned-from-hesiod-the-countless-names-of-gods-and/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [“To Judaism Christians ascribe the glory of having been the first religion to teach a pure monotheism. But monotheism existed long before the Jews…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-remsburg/to-judaism-christians-ascribe-the-glory-of-having-been-the-first/) John E. Remsburg > [“The golden section was discovered by the Egyptians, and has been used in art and architecture, most commonly, during the classical ages of Egypt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-griffing/the-golden-section-was-discovered-by-the-egyptians-and-has-been-used/) Steven L. Griffing > [When the Egyptians decide something, probably it is not appropriate for the U.S. When the Americans decide something, this, of course, is not appropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-morsi/when-the-egyptians-decide-something-probably-it-is-not-appropriate/) [Mohammed Morsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-morsi/) > [In art the Greeks were the children of the Egyptians. The day may yet come when we shall do justice to the high powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/in-art-the-greeks-were-the-children-of-the-egyptians-the-day-may-yet/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“Because the Egyptians had no feeling that events of the moment were transitory, they viewed the present as eternal. The world was static; what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/because-the-egyptians-had-no-feeling-that-events-of-the-moment-were/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [“It was not till the time of the XVIIIth Dynasty, indeed, that the Egyptians ceased to portray their kings as they really were, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-william-king/it-was-not-till-the-time-of-the-xviiith-dynasty-indeed-that-the/) [Leonard William King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-william-king/) > [“They did not, however, infect the air as the Sudanese sun dried them up like mummies; all had the hue of gray parchment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henryk-sienkiewicz/they-did-not-however-infect-the-air-as-the-sudanese-sun-dried-them-up/) [Henryk Sienkiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henryk-sienkiewicz/) > [Egyptians are like camels: they can put up with beatings, humiliation and starvation for a long time but when they rebel they do so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaa-al-aswany/egyptians-are-like-camels-they-can-put-up-with-beatings-humiliation/) [Alaa Al Aswany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaa-al-aswany/) > [Unfortunately, the Egyptians weren't the greatest artists in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/unfortunately-the-egyptians-weren-t-the-greatest-artists-in-the-world/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [“Like the Egyptians, the Hittites sat when eating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-sayce/like-the-egyptians-the-hittites-sat-when-eating/) [A. H. SAYCE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-sayce/) > [In the imperfect records left of the anatomy of the ancient Egyptians, no trace of any knowledge of the spleen can be ascertained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-gray/in-the-imperfect-records-left-of-the-anatomy-of-the-ancient-egyptians/) [Henry Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-gray/) > [“This relationship, often called the Golden mean, has been discovered and rediscovered at various times in history as a unique proportion believed to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pile/this-relationship-often-called-the-golden-mean-has-been-discovered/) John Pile > [Since when are Egyptians not white? All I know are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/since-when-are-egyptians-not-white-all-i-know-are/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) ## More by Herodotus > [Haste in every business brings failures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/haste-in-every-business-brings-failures/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [A real friend ... exults in his friend’s happiness, rejoices in all his joys, and is ready to afford him the best advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/a-real-friend-exults-in-his-friend-s-happiness-rejoices-in-all-his/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/some-men-give-up-their-designs-when-they-have-almost-reached-the-goal/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [I know that human happiness never remains long in the same place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/i-know-that-human-happiness-never-remains-long-in-the-same-place/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Happiness is not fame or riches or heroic virtues, but a state that will inspire posterity to think in reflecting upon our life, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/happiness-is-not-fame-or-riches-or-heroic-virtues-but-a-state-that/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [But I like not these great success of yours; for I know how jealous are the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/but-i-like-not-these-great-success-of-yours-for-i-know-how-jealous/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give lustre, and many more people see than weigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/knowledge-may-give-weight-but-accomplishments-give-lustre-and-many/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest do not happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/very-few-things-happen-at-the-right-time-and-the-rest-do-not-happen/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [ They \[the Persians\] are accustomed to deliberate on matters of the highest moment when warm with wine; but whatever they in this situation may… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/they-the-persians-are-accustomed-to-deliberate-on-matters-of-the/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Circumstances rule men; men do not rule circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/circumstances-rule-men-men-do-not-rule-circumstances/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [To think well and to consent to obey someone giving good advice are the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/to-think-well-and-to-consent-to-obey-someone-giving-good-advice-are/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Unless a variety of opinions are laid before us, we have no opportunity of selection, but are bound of necessity to adopt the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/unless-a-variety-of-opinions-are-laid-before-us-we-have-no/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Of all possessions a friend is the most precious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/of-all-possessions-a-friend-is-the-most-precious/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [Those who are guided by reason are generally successful in their plans; those who are rash and precipitate seldom enjoy the favour of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/those-who-are-guided-by-reason-are-generally-successful-in-their/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [The gods loves to punish whatever is greater than the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/the-gods-loves-to-punish-whatever-is-greater-than-the-rest/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) [Explore all 145 Herodotus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) ## More Adopted quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kidman/somehow-destiny-comes-into-play-these-children-end-up-with-you-and/) [Nicole Kidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kidman/) > [Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and later started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serzh-sargsyan/azerbaijan-unleashed-the-war-and-was-defeated-in-that-war-azerbaijan/) [Serzh Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serzh-sargsyan/) > [I'm not at all against white people adopting black children, because we're all human beings who need to give love and be nurtured in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kola-boof/i-m-not-at-all-against-white-people-adopting-black-children-because/) [Kola Boof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kola-boof/) > [Susan, an only child who never had any roots, and I, a lone wolf who got married 20 years to late, were adopted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harpo-marx/susan-an-only-child-who-never-had-any-roots-and-i-a-lone-wolf-who-got/) [Harpo Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harpo-marx/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [A son or daughter in any human family is either born to or adopted by the parents. By definition, a child can't be both.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/a-son-or-daughter-in-any-human-family-is-either-born-to-or-adopted-by/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [. . . by natural selection our mind has adapted itself to the conditions of the external world. It has adopted the geometry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/by-natural-selection-our-mind-has-adapted-itself-to-the-conditions-of/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [I was adopted my black Americans, I feel that I'm a 'Hybrid'. When I'm around Africans'I suddenly feel very black American. And when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kola-boof/i-was-adopted-my-black-americans-i-feel-that-i-m-a-hybrid-when-i-m/) [Kola Boof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kola-boof/) > [I did this one movie with a great director named Wayne Kramer. It was 'Crossing Over,' and Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-did-this-one-movie-with-a-great-director-named-wayne-kramer-it-was/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [I had severed relations with the Romanian exiles who had become politically conservative and even extremely right wing; I was giving chess lessons to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dumitru-tepeneag/i-had-severed-relations-with-the-romanian-exiles-who-had-become/) [Dumitru Tepeneag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dumitru-tepeneag/) > [People, the common people, can genuinely see what I'm doing. Moreover, people know that I have adopted four principles in living my life: simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-sattar-edhi/people-the-common-people-can-genuinely-see-what-i-m-doing-moreover/) [Abdul Sattar Edhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-sattar-edhi/) > [To a large extent, the American church has become merged with the world. It has adopted so many of the world's ideals and standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/to-a-large-extent-the-american-church-has-become-merged-with-the/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [When you're adopted, no matter what, you've got issues with unconditional love. And you find out you're the product of the worst situation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-atkins/when-you-re-adopted-no-matter-what-you-ve-got-issues-with/) [Rodney Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-atkins/) > [Capitalism justified itself and was adopted as an economic principle on the express ground that it provides selfish motives for doing good, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/capitalism-justified-itself-and-was-adopted-as-an-economic-principle/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) Browse all 735 Adopted quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "the Egyptians were the first to discover the solar year, and to portion out its course into twelve parts both the space of time and the seasons which they delimit. It was observation of the course of the stars which led them to adopt this divisionIt is also the Egyptians who first bought into use the names of the twelve gods, which the Greeks adopted from them", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Herodotus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover-the-solar-year-and-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adopted" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover-the-solar-year-and-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/herodotus-2844_adopted_the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover_2178626.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/herodotus-2844_adopted_the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover_2178626.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/herodotus-2844_adopted_the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover_2178626.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“the Egyptians were the first to discover the solar year, and to portion out its course into twelve parts…” — Herodotus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Herodotus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "the Egyptians were the first to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover-the-solar-year-and-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/the-egyptians-were-the-first-to-discover-the-solar-year-and-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```